This invention relates to the construction of recombinant DNA plasmid vectors for Thiobacillus ferrooxidans which contain arsenic resistance genes and are able to replicate in both T. ferrooxidans and Escherichia coli.
The biological leaching of arseno-pyrite ores has hitherto been limited by the sensitivity of the organisms involved to the arsenic which is released in the process.
Although arsenic resistant plasmids have been constructed for other bacteria, there are to the applicant's knowledge no reports of the construction of such plasmids for T. ferrooxidans which can also replicate in E. coli.